Miniature acorn-tube socket with floating contacts



Dec. 26, 1950 E. TOTH MINIATURE ACORN-TUBE SOCKET WITH FLOATING CONTACTS Filed March 2'7, 1947 1151-525 :EIE 4 Elma/whom EMERICK TOTH Patented Dec. 26, 1950 UNITED MINIATURE ACORN-TUBE sooner WITH FLOATING CONTACTS limerick Toth, Takoma Park, Appu ata Mat h 27, 1947. Serial No. 737,685 6 Claims. (01.173-328) (Granted undeit he act of March 3, 1883, as

amended Ap 1 This invention relates to electron tube support and contactor mechanisms and in particular to alignment compensating sockets for acorn'= ;type electron tubes.

The present trend in the design of high frequency electron tubes is toward the elimiri'tion of the customary tube base, spring typ co tions to the elements being made directly lead wires as they emerge from the metal seals of the tube envelope. This type of construction permits greatly shortened leads with consequent reduction in lead inductance and shunting capacitance-but does limit the amount of force that can be applied to the tube leads for fear of breaking the necessary metal-glass seals. Such a force limitation is particularly critical when handling tubes of the "acorn yp having the leads brought out in the form of stifi wires of relatively large diameter extending radially from the tube primarily in a plane perpendicular to the major axis thereof. With conventional rigidly mounted terminal contactor members, great accuracy of tube and socket manufacture is required sothat the terminals will fit the contactor members exactly without placing a stra in on the glass" portions of the tube. With such conventionaljsockets, extreme care is also required when inserting or removing a tube to avoid lacing excessive strains on the tube itself.

It is therefore an object of the present inyenr tion to provide a socket connector assembly' for a tube of the acorn or other radial lead type capable of adjusting itself for reasonablemisalignment of the tube terminals when thetube is in place or being inserted or removed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a socket for a tube of the type having a plurality ofiterminals protruding radially therefrom in a plane perpendicular to the major axis thereof in which individual motion of the terminal contactor members is permitted in three dimensions to compensate for misalignment of .member in an intermediate stage of construction.

Figs. 3 and 4 show different views of a typical terminal contactor member and the mountingthereof in the typical socket of Fig. 1 to achieve three dimensional alignment compensation.

In accordance with the fundamental concepts of the present invention, a tube socket for an electron tube having contacts of the radial pin type is provided which is capable of adjusting itself for reasonable amounts of misalignment of the tube pins. Individual contact members, pro? vided for each pin, are mounted in such a manner that freedom of motion of the contact memcured to a metallic chassis or other support member by suitable bolts or screws fitted into holes Terminal contact member I l-20 are placed in a circular orientation in cut-back portions of the base ill. These members are held in place by} suitable holding pins or rivets, the heads of which are visible in the aperture I I on the inner side of base In and typified by numeral 2 l.- The holding pins preferably engage the contact members in a flexible yet secure manner to permit rotational and tilting motion thereof to compensate for minor misalignment of the tube terminals. These contact members are mounted and constructed that in the process of inserting a tube, the mem bers are drawn up close on the tube lead by spring action to reduce the lead length and consequently the inductance thereof.

Various views of the contact members are shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4. At one step in the process of manufacture of an individual contact member, a section having an enlarged outline as shown in Fig. 2 is obtained. This section may be obtained as by stamping from a fiat sheet of metal of high conductivity and preferably having somewhat tempered or elastic characteristics. The central portion of this contact member is provided with an upper V-shaped notch 22 for receiving the tube terminal. The centralportion i also provided with an elongated aperture 23 to engage the holding pins in such a manner as to permit pivotalmotion of the contact members about the pin as well as motion in a plane perpendicular to the major axis of the tube terminal. The

Fig. 2 is bent to an angle of approximately 9Q degrees with respect to the central portion to provide spring action to hold the contact member in a reference position in absence of any displac= ing force fromatube terminal. The completely formed contact member is shown in a side view in Fig. 3 and in an end view in Fig. 4. In Fig. 3 the location of the tube ter: minal notch is indicated by numeral 22 and one of the resilient terminal holders is. indicated by numeral 26. The contact member is afiixed to the cross-section of a portion of the base number it by the pin or rivet 3%. The extending portions, of the contact member as indicated by numeral 2.6 have large surface areas to provide lowinductance paths. for high frequency electrical, currents; In.

the relaxed condition, the positioning spring portion 28 holds the contact member in, a reference position wherein the lower end portion of' the elongated aperture 23 rests against pin 38.

In the end view of the contact member asshown in. Fig. 4, a method of folding the. resilientsections 2.4 and25 to hold a tube terminal in-plaoeagainst the V-slot 22 is. shown. .Members-ill and- 25. are, bent inwardly near the end thereof to, press the tube terminal against slot 22.

From the foregoing discussion it is apparent that considerable. modification of the features of; the present invention is possible and while the device here shown and the form of apparatustfor the operation thereof constitutes a preferred em bodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to this precise device and form of appara-- tus and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is; defined in the appended claims.

The. invention describedherein may be m anufactured and used byor for the Governmentof the United States of, America for governmental. purposes without the payment of any. royalties thereon or therefor. What is. claimed is: I

l. A socket for an electron tube-of the type having a plurality of terminals protruding radially therefrom in a plane perpendicular to the major axis thereof, comprising a generally annular base member of insulating material into which the tube is adapted to extend, a plurality ofradially extending grooves formedin the outer periphery of said base member and having a bachformed. by the inner periphery of said, base memberand a bottom formed by the lower face. of. said base member, said grooves being angularly spaced in accordance with the angular spacing of said. tube terminals, a supporting tube terminal. contactor for each tube terminal disposed within corresponding ones of said grooves, each of said con.- tactors comprising elongated central body portion extending in parallel relation to the major axis of said tube and terminating beyond the upper face of said base member in a tube terminal gripping portion for engagement with. said tube terminals, a longitudinal mounting slotformed in said body portion, means engaging said slot to pivotally mount the central ,body'of said eontactors to theback of said grooves, spring The downwardly biasing means integrally formed with each of said elongated central body portions extending radially outwardly therefrom, said spring biasing means being coactive with the bottom of said grooves for holding each terminal contactor in .a reference position in theiabsence of a displacing force from a tube terminal. 1

2. A contactor for pin type radio tube terminals, comprising a tri-furcated metallic body portion comprising a flat elongated center arm and a pair of substantially-fiat, elongated parallel, side arms each'lying in planes perpendicular to the plane o f gthe center arm with the long axis of the side and center arms all parallel, the center arm of said bodyportion having a wedge shaped notch formed. in one end thereof for receipt of a tube terminal, the corresponding end extremities of said side arms extending beyond the apex of said wedge shaped not'ch; and being formed with inthe center'arm with the long axis of the side andclined portions extending toward each other immediately, beyond the. apex of the wedge-shaped notch insaid, center arm whereby said-inclined portions are operative. to engage the tube terminal. and urge the same into firm electrical. contact. with the. apex of the notch.

3. A oontactor for pintyi erad-io tube terminals; comprising a tri-furcated metallic. body portion, comprisingaflat elongated center arm, and a pair of substantiallyfiat, elongated parallel, side. arms, each lying in, planes perpendicular to the planepf center arms all parallel, the center arm. of-said. body-portion having a wedge shaped notch formed in one; endtheleoffor receiptof a tube terminal,; said center arm also having an elongated EPQY-q ture. termedtherein. for receipt of a pin like mount ing member, the corresponding end extremities 0; said side arms extending beyond the apex of said; wedge shaped notch; and being formed with in, clined. portions extending toward each, other im} mediately beyond the apex of the wedge shapednotch in said center arm whereby said inclined. portions are. operative to engage the tube terminal; and urge the same into firm electrical contact with the. apex of ;the notch. I

i. .A co tactor fr pin type rad-iotube termi comprising trifurcated metallic bod-y po comprising. a. flat elongated center arm-1 an pair of substantially flat, elongated parallelfside arms eachlying in planes perpendicular to the plane. of the. center arm with the. long axis of they sidev and center. arms all parallel,- the center arm of said body portion having a wedge shaped notch formed one end. thereof .for receipt of a. tubeterminal, the. corresponding end extremitiesof said side arms extendingbeyond the apex of said wedge. shaped-notch; and each beingbent in the shape. of a. V with the. apex of the V ex tending immediately beyond the. apex of. thew shaped notch. whereby said V shapedend ex-- tremities are operative to engage the tube an minal andlurge the, same into. firm electrical foo tact with the apex 'of the notch.. A socket for a radio tube or the like, said socketbeing of. annular shape and being formed witha plurality of recesses, a contact clip housed in each or said recesses and being retained in said socket by the coaction therewith of the portions of. thesocketbounding the recess in. whichitis. positioned, said contact clip having ,a base, and

' contact pin, receiving means forminga portion of each of saidclips and adapted toreceiveipins extending radially from a tube positioned within. said socket, saidcontact pin receivingmeansco'm prising. three tabs. extending upward. from; the

base of said clip in parallel directions, one oi said tabs being located on the side of said clip closest to the axis of said socket and having formed in its free end a notch having its apex directed toward said base, and the remaining two tabs being resilient and having their free ends bent toward each other to form a, yieldable barrier to movement of one of said contact pins into or out of said notch.

6. A socket for a radio tube or the like, said socket being of annular shape and being formed with a plurality of recesses, a contact clip housed in each of said recesses and being retained in said socket by the coaction therewith of the portions of the socket bounding the recess in which it is positioned, said clip having a base, contact pin receiving means forming a portion of each of said clips and being adapted to receive pins extending radially from a tube positioned within said socket; said contact pin receiving means comprising an element extending from said base in substantial parallelism with the axis of said socket and terminatin at its free end in a notch having its apex directed toward said base, a pair of tabs extending from said base with their major surfaces lying in parallel planes normal to the plane of said notch, said tabs being resiliently urged toward each other at their free ends to form a yieldable barrier to the movement of one of said radially extending pins intoor out of said notch, and a resilient member joined to said base beneath said element and extending below and toward the opposite side of said base, said member acting between said clip and said socket to urge the notched end of said element radially inwardly of said socket to the limit of movement of said clip.

EMERICK TOTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in the file of this patent;

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,878,017 Steinmayer Sept. 20, 1932 2,172,181 Sutton Sept. 5, 1939 2,259,328 Sinninger Oct. 14, 1941 2,369,177 Raskhodoff Feb. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 548,097 England Sept. 24, 1942 109,872 Austria Feb. 20, 1940 

